The Milwaukee Brewers completed a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with a 5-2 victory on Thursday, moving them closer to clinching the National League Central division title. Christian Yelich played a pivotal role, recording his 100th RBI of the season with a double during a decisive three-run rally in the seventh inning. Brice Turang's go-ahead single, followed by contributions from William Contreras and Andrew Vaughn’s sacrifice fly, sealed the win. Aaron Ashby earned the victory, while Jared Koenig secured his second save. Brewers starter Quinn Priester struck out 10 and extended a solid pitching streak before allowing a two-run homer to Luis Rengifo. The Angels, now on a seven-game losing streak, couldn't capitalize on scoring opportunities. With a 94-59 record, Milwaukee, which has already secured a playoff spot, built a six-game lead over the second-place Cubs and reduced their magic number to four for clinching their fourth division title in five years.

In other MLB news, the Philadelphia Phillies clinched their second consecutive National League East title with a dramatic 6-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in 10 innings. The victory, Philadelphia’s ninth in 11 games, secured their spot as the first division champion in MLB this season, extending their lead over the New York Mets to 12½ games with 11 remaining. Celebrations erupted in the Phillies' clubhouse, featuring Champagne, beer, cigars, and jubilation. Key moments included home runs by Kyle Schwarber, Weston Wilson, and Bryce Harper, overcoming a quiet offensive start. Manager Rob Thomson praised the team’s resilience despite major injuries to key players like Zack Wheeler, Trea Turner, and Alec Bohm. Strategic trade deadline acquisitions, such as closer Jhoan Duran and center fielder Harrison Bader, bolstered the team’s depth. The Phillies are now eyeing their third World Series title, their first since 2008. With this win, Thomson became one of only four MLB managers to reach the postseason in each of his first four full seasons. This also marked the earliest division title clinch in Phillies history, reflecting a highly successful and balanced season.

Major League Baseball has canceled its plans to host games in London in 2026 due to scheduling conflicts with West Ham United’s use of the Olympic Stadium and limited TV broadcast availability with Fox during the World Cup. The planned New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays series was scrapped, and no alternate dates could be arranged. Despite this setback, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred reaffirmed the league's commitment to growing in Europe, especially London, citing infrastructure improvements there. MLB also aims to expand globally, with initiatives in India leveraging the nation’s cricket interest, and plans to build stronger ties with Mexican professional leagues through regular-season games. The league continues to see growth in Asia, particularly due to Shohei Ohtani’s popularity, and has held season openers in Japan and South Korea. Domestically, MLB is close to securing new broadcast deals for 2026–2028 with NBCUniversal, Netflix, and ESPN. NBC would broadcast Wild Card and Sunday night games, Netflix would carry the Home Run Derby, and ESPN would retain some regular-season games and local rights for several teams. Manfred emphasized a focus on national media exposure to maximize revenue and hinted at evolving the media model for the 2029 rights cycle.

In a significant development, ESPN and Major League Baseball will terminate their national television agreement at the conclusion of the 2025 season. ESPN has notified MLB of its decision to opt out of the final three years of their contract, which averaged $550 million per season in a deal struck in 2021. This decision reflects ESPN's shift in focus, scaling back its baseball coverage, which used to include up to 90 regular-season games and daily highlight shows. MLB, disappointed by ESPN's reduced investment, expressed that the network's demand to lower rights fees was unacceptable. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred indicated in a memo that despite ESPN's interest in retaining MLB content, they would not accept a devaluation of their rights by sticking with a shrinking platform. This move opens the way for MLB to explore new partnerships with traditional and streaming media companies as they pursue a more national broadcasting strategy.

In a notable announcement, U.S. President Donald Trump declared his intention to pardon the late baseball legend Pete Rose, who passed away at 83. Rose was permanently banned from baseball for betting on games, though he never bet against his own team. Trump criticized Major League Baseball for excluding Rose from the Hall of Fame despite his remarkable career achievements, including being the all-time hit leader. While Trump did not specify the scope of the pardon, he highlighted Rose's admitted gambling on his team winning and his conviction in 1990 for filing false tax returns. Allegations of a sexual relationship with a minor in the 1970s also tarnished Rose's reputation. Rose's career spanned from 1963 to 1986, mainly with the Cincinnati Reds, where he won three World Series championships and set numerous records.